Preparing kids for school break

Starting this week, hundreds of students will begin winter break, keeping them out of school nearly two weeks. Older students don’t need as much supervision, but the working parents of smaller children may be placed in a rut because of the holiday. There are resources available and places for children to go to stay occupied during the time off.

Starting this week, hundreds of students will begin winter break, keeping them out of school nearly two weeks. Older students don’t need as much supervision, but the working parents of smaller children may be placed in a rut because of the holiday. There are resources available and places for children to go to stay occupied during the time off.

By JESSIKA MORGAN

Staff Writer

When Lenoir County Schools releases students for winter break Thursday, Rhonda Simmons doesn’t get time off her full-time job as a teaching assistant.

For each extended break from school for her children, she has to make accommodations for her three young daughters: Shamiya, Ayanna, and Emoni.

The single mother works from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekdays, dropping two girls off at Contentnea-Savannah School and the other at Northeast Elementary School.

“I utilize the Boys and Girls Club or my parents help me out a lot,” Simmons said. “When you’re a working parent, and a single parent at that, I cannot afford anywhere else for them to go. Other programs you have to pay a weekly fee.”

She said the organization was reliable and provides tutoring and various activities for her three daughters.

“They have good staff (and) there aren’t a lot of problems there,” she said.

The Boys and Girls Club of Lenoir County will be open for full days while young students are out of school.

Normally starting at 2:30 p.m., the club will open at 9 a.m. over the break. Becoming a member requires a small monthly fee, which admits children any time and amount of days.

But some members actually will spend time at home.

“Attendance is about the same as normal, even a little less,” Sonya Howell, Boys and Girls Club of Lenoir County business manager, said. “The last week of the year, we’re actually closed because the children are spending time with family.”

The break begins this week

Most people hardly think about the ways a two-week long school vacation can change the dynamics of a community.

In Lenoir and Jones Counties, all public school students will be on winter break for 12 days starting Thursday — and adjustments have to be made for most families.

For working parents, school often times sits their children during their shifts.

“When we have extended breaks like that, it does pose a problem for some of our families, because school is their primary caregiver,” Northeast Principal Kecia Dunn said, especially for single parents.

Page 2 of 3 - She said she’s seen mothers rely on the child’s grandparents or the Boys and Girls Club.

“It does put some of our parents in a hardship with childcare,” Dunn said.

However, some daycare-like businesses will have extended hours or are expecting to make adjustments during the holiday break.

Partnership for Children of Lenoir and Greene Counties offers a referral service for parents while the children are on break, guiding them to childcare centers in the county based on their need.

Local daycare center Kidz R Us is only closed for two days — Christmas Eve and Christmas Day — during the break window, but will experience steady attendance, owner Julia Smith said.

“The parents still have to work, so kids will still come,” she said. “But sometimes they’ll stay home with siblings during the holiday and won’t come every day like they normally would.”

The daycare serves about 40 children from two weeks to 12-years-old.

Where kids can go

There’s another option for students: they can group together during their break at the Galaxy of Sports bowling or skating centers.

The skating rink will host Christmas and New Year’s Eve bashes, lasting through the night.

Skate Manager Doug Hale said the lock-in can be an all-night babysitter.

“It’s something that if the parents want to go out, they’re able,” said Hale, an Atlantic City, N.J. native. “We always had that growing up where I’m from.”

Skaters can’t leave the premises without their parent’s permission on both nights of Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, and free food will be provided for the children.

Treats will be passed out during a Christmas movie night at the Woodmen Community Center on Friday, giving parents somewhere to take children during last-minute Christmas shopping, staff members said.

The Woodmen Center also has an Elf Shop for youngsters to buy $1 or $2 dollar presents for their parents, which will be wrapped by staff members.

The Gate community center will have extended hours on Dec. 27-28, opening its doors from 1-3 p.m. and again at 7 those evenings.

The recreation room included air hockey, game consoles and computer labs.

“Kids can feel free to bring their Christmas toys here and hang out,” The Gate Executive Director Wanda Hall said, with a goal to have the building open for area children who will be out of school.

“If you’re not giving them something to do that’s positive, they’ll find something to do,” she added. “When they find something to do, there’s no guarantee that it’s always going to be positive.”

Page 3 of 3 - While some students benefit from the various activities set up for them in Lenoir County, others can simply stay home with their parents.

“My kids are older, by time I get off, I’m home with them,” said LaToya Jones, parent of two (8, 10) who works the overnight shift at Sanderson Farms. “They have enough stuff to play with. I’m right in the room next door to them if they need anything,” while she’s asleep and they’re home.

She said her children have a schedule for school and holiday break, so they know when to eat, play and do school work.

“Being a single parent, you have to put them on a regimen, so they have everything down packed most of the time,” she said.

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.